6 die when armed men clash in North Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat borders

KIDAPAWAN CITY -At least six people were killed when two armedarmed group clashed in the boundaryofTulunan, North Cotabato and Colombio in Sultan Kudarat on Tuesday morning, police said.Senior Inspector Ronnie Dillera, Tulunan chief of police, said the clash happened in Sitio Saban, Barangay Maybula, when about 30 armed menattacked a group oftilling their farms at about11:00 a.m. Dillera said the firefight between the two group lasted for 3 hours which resulted to the death of three farmers. He identified them asRenato Tadiaque,Anthony Camiring and Loloy Lumacad, a security guard of the banana plantation. Dillera said he personally saw the dead bodies of the victims and were able to identify through their identification cards. The chief of police also said that they also recovered three dead bodies of the lawless elements. Their remains were brought to the PNP headquarters in Tulunan town, Dillera said. Responding police officer were strafed by the lawless elements when they arrived at the clash site. Fortunately none of our policemen were hurt when the lawless group opened fire on our troops, Dillera said. Dillera also clarified that the the farmers have firearms to defend themselves while they tilling their farms. The clash forced about64 families or more than 200 individuals to evacuate to safer grounds. For several years now, the farmers and the armed men have beenclaiming ownership of about 10 hectares of farmland situated in the borders of Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato. The Tulunan and Colombio local governmentshave created a task force to monitor and pacify two warring groups while ownership issue is being attended to by concerned government agencies.